SFO crash: Runway back in service, airport fully operational

SAN FRANCISCO -- Less than a week after the fatal crash of an Asiana jet left a runway littered with debris, and the same day the burned and broken hulk of the plane's fuselage was removed from San Francisco International Airport's runway 28L, the strip was reopened for business just after 5 p.m. Friday.

A Southwest Airlines flight was first to land, as airport officials praised the efforts to get the field fully operational as soon as possible.

"The tremendous efforts and around-the-clock work of airport staff, government agencies, airline tenants and contractors allowed us to complete all repairs and safety certifications for Runway 28L in a timely and efficient manner," airport director John L. Martin said in a news release.

The work began immediately after the NTSB released the runway to airport control on Wednesday night, followed by the airfield on Thursday.

The fuselage of the Boeing 777 was removed early Friday and taken to a remote section of the airport for storage. It will be taken away from the airport in the next two weeks, officials said.

SFO said Friday evening that all airlines could resume operating on their normal schedules immediately.